Tony Becca
THE WEST Indies team to tour Pakistan in November and December for a three-match Test series includes two spinners and, for that, many thanks to the selectors - particularly so to the men with clout; to captain Brian Lara and coach Bennett King.
It is really surprising that the West Indies selectors have decided to take not one but two spin bowlers on tour - and especially so for a short three-match series and in a squad of only 15 players.
Is it that they have finally come to the conclusion that, generally speaking, the fast bowlers in the West Indies today are not much more than ordinary, that they need to look elsewhere for match winners, and that by really exposing them, by exercising a little patience with them, they could find one or two match-winners among the region's spin bowlers?
SEEING THE LIGHT?
Or is it that looking at almost all the other Test-playing countries, certainly Australia, England, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and seeing the success of spin bowlers like Shane Warne, Monty Panesar, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, Danish Kaneria, Muttiah Muralitharan and Daniel Vettori, they have seen the light and decided to follow?
Whatever the reason, it is good that the selectors have thrown away their blinkers and instead of taking a string of average fast bowlers to Pakistan and no spin bowler, they have decided to take only four, plus all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, and two spin bowlers.
The two are offspinner Omari Banks and left-arm wrist spinner Dave Mohammed, and after playing 10 matches in three years and three Test matches also in three years, they must now be counting their blessings - and especially so Mohammed who has played one in each year and against three different teams in different parts of the world.
Based on their stats to date, neither one is any great shake. Their skill, plus a promising performance here and there, suggest however, that had the selectors displayed a little confidence in them, had they shown a little patience - similar to that which they displayed and which they shown in a long string of pace bowlers whose returns were no better than the two spin bowlers, they could by now, have developed into match winners - into good cricketers.
BEAUTIFUL BOWLING
I will never forget Banks bowling against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2003.
Although he is not a big spinner of the ball, Banks bowled a good length, he flighted the ball well, he varied his pace, his line and his length admirably and beautifully and, against a relatively strong Zimbabwe team, against a team that included batsmen like Trevor Gripper, Stuart Carlisle, Craig Wishart and Heath Streak, he took three wickets for 35 runs off 15 overs.
I will also never ever forget Mohammed bowling against South Africa at Newlands in 2004 and against India at the Antigua Recreation Ground earlier this year.
On both occasions, he bowled well. On both occasions, bowling against batsmen like Chris Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Gary Kirsten, Virender Sehwag, V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, he picked up three wickets early before he lost control and paid the price.
Unfortunately for them, unlike the West Indies fast bowlers, they always seem to pay the price - immediately or almost imme-diately. For them, it was always perform or leave.
Although a bowler should be picked for his bowling and not for his batting, what is also interesting about Banks and Mohammed is that they can bat a bit - certainly better than all the West Indies fast bowlers of recent times.
Lest it be forgotten, Banks scored 47 not out when the West Indies scored 418 for seven to defeat Australia at the ARG in 2003, he scored 50 not out against Sri Lanka at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia in 2003, and in his three Test matches, Mohammed posted scores of 36 versus South Africa, 23 against England, and in the match before he was dropped, 52 against India a few months ago.
HOPING FOR VICTORY
Is it possible that after not winning a series in Pakistan since 1981 and after losing 3-0 in 1997/98 and 2-0 in the United Arab Emrates in 2001/02, the West Indies selectors expect, or are hoping that, Banks and Moham-med can bowl the West Indies to victory this time around?
As good as they may be, as potentially dangerous as they may be, and as well, if given a chance, as they may bowl, that would be wishful thinking - and definitely so against a team that includes the likes of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Moham-med Yousuf and Younis Khan batting in their own backyard.
Had Banks and Mohammed been given a fair deal between 2003 and today, however, they may well, by now, have been ready to deliver.
